Improvement in button-hole cutters



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DANIEL A. LEHMAN, OF WAKARUSA, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TO JOSEPH A. GULF, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN BUTTON-HOLE CUTTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 166,208, dated August 3, 1875; application filed May 2, 1874. v

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, DANIEL A. LEHMAN, of Wakarusa, in the county of Elkhart and State of Indiana, have invented a new and valuable Improvement in Button-Hole Gutters; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 of the drawing is a side view thereof. Figs. 2 and 3 are details.

This invention has relation to button-hole shears; and it consists in a longitudinallyadjustable gage, applied by means of a setscrew upon the slotted arm of a button-hole cutter, and having constructed upon its end a shoulder, which shoulder is vertically notched to avoid interference with the cut-tingedge of the knife, and is adapted to receive the edge of a garment or material to be provided with button-holes. I

In the annexed drawings, A A designate the two arms or levers of my improved shears, which arepivoted together at or near the middle of the length thereof. The lever A is provided at one end with a grasping-loop, B,

which serves to afford a firm hold to the operator. At its other extremity I construct a bow, H, which is bifurcated at its free extremity, to receive and hold an acute angular cutter, O, by means of aprojection construct ed upon its shortest side, which cutter is provided with cutting-edges c c. The arched part H serves to give easy access to a thumbscrew, 6, for a purpose hereinafter to be described, and by means of the points and cutting-edges c c of the cutter O I am enabled to make incisions into any material used in the manufacturing of clothing. At or near the end of the lever A, corresponding with the cutter-bearing end of the lever A, is a vertical slot, D, constructed through a widened portion of said lever, as shown in Fig. 3, for the purpose of receiving the cutter G, which plays vertically and-freely through it. E designates a metallic strap, which may be U- shaped, the ends of which are rigidly secured to the under surface of the widened part of arm A, in such a manner that it shall embrace said slot and serve as a shield to cutter O, and also as a rest for the implement when in use. To the upper surface, and upon the widened part of the lever A, is applied a clamp-screw, e, which passes through a longitudinal slot, d, in a metallic gage, F, into a screw-threaded perforation, and it serves to secure and hold in position on arm A said gage, which is longitudinally adjustable to or from the inner end of slot D, and serves to regulate the distance of the button-hole incisions from the edge of the material. Said gage is constructed with a shoulder upon the end of the gage F next the slot D, and said shoulder is notched, so that it shall not interfere with the free penetration of the cutter G into the slot D. G is a stop-screw, passing vertically upward through a screw-threadedperforation upon the arm A, and which serves to increase or diminish the penetration of the cutter G into the slot D, and thus increase or diminish the length of the button hole incisions, and this I accomplish by elevating the screw G when it is desired to lessen the length of the incision, or depressing it when it is desired to increase the length thereof.

To use my improved shears, I first regulate the length of the incision to be made into the material by means of the screw G. I then mark off upon the scale on the upper surface of the arm A, by means of the gage F, the distance from the edge at which I wish the button-hole incisions to commence. The material is then brought with its edge against the shoulder on the gage F, and the cutter (I brought down upon the material, and forced through by bringing together the handle ends of levers A A.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The gage F, having a notched shoulder or abutment, applied upon the slotted arm of a button-hole cutter, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The button-hole cutter having the straight shank A slotted to receive the knife, and provided with the set-screw G, clamp-screw e, and notched gage-plate F, and the pivoted knife-shank A, bowed at H over the clamp screw e, as specified.

In testimony that I claim the'abo've I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

DANIEL A. LEHMAN.

Witnesses:

JOSEPH A. GULP, J osIAH ROHRER. 

